EU DEEPEN project accelerates sustainability of computing devices

08 December 2016

Leading experts in semiconductors, electronics, photonics and modelling in Cork for events on meeting our future computing and related needs. DEEPEN, an EU funded project, is pushing our capability for accurate device modelling and design, through collaboration and research in modeling and computation methods for semiconductors

The internet’s carbon footprint is already larger than the entire aviation industry, as the volume of internet traffic increases exponentially every year, requiring more and more energy to fuel our communications.

From smartphones to electronic devices that we all rely on every day, the underlying technologies, infrastructure and energy needs won’t be sustainable in the medium to long term. This challenge has been a key focus of scientists involved in the EU funded DEEPEN project over the past three years, and their findings will be shared at workshops in Cork this week.

“Each time we ask Google a question, we access a giant data centre of highly interconnected computers. The transistors and interconnects sitting at their core are all consuming so much energy that a major design issue for data centres is how to manage the level of heat created by computer components,” said Prof Eoin O’Reilly, DEEPEN project lead and Tyndall chief scientist, speaking in advance of the events.

“Our modern way of living and communication is creating new challenges, and through the DEEPEN project, scientists at Tyndall are working with counterparts and industry across Europe, including Osram and Synopsys, to solve these real issues,” he added.

The focus of Prof O’Reilly, his colleagues at Tyndall National Institute and partners in the project, is to develop simulation techniques that not only leverage existing technologies and materials to dramatically enhance the capabilities of incumbent infrastructure, but can also guide the development of new materials like III-V semiconductors and 2D materials to advance future device applications and quantum computing methods.

The critical regions in exiting devices can be as little as 20 atoms wide – these regions need to be treated in full detail for accurate simulation without compromising the higher level simulation of the full device structure.

“We have been looking in DEEPEN at specific device parts at atomistic level, generating multiscale simulations that link the atomistic behaviour to the overall device performance, and ultimately creating new open source interfaces for developing products for the future. Within three years, we have advanced our knowledge significantly and the project has had global impact, bringing together leading minds from academia and industry to generate new solutions to our current and future issues,” said Prof O’Reilly.

In short, the DEEPEN project is driving forward our capability for accurate and reliable device modelling and design, through collaboration and extensive research in modeling and computation methods for semiconductors.

The internet’s carbon footprint is already larger than the entire aviation industry, as the volume of internet traffic increases exponentially every year, requiring more and more energy to fuel our communications.
From smartphones to electronic devices that we all rely on every day, the underlying technologies, infrastructure and energy needs...

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